During My Playing Days, I Used Juju – Taribo

Former Super Eagles defence strongman, Taribo
West made a shocking confession recently. He
revealed that during his football career days he used
juju to play on the field.
The ex-footballer turned pastor said he had a
manager from Senegal and his manager would take
him to several native doctors in Senegal where they
will cut his tongue, hands and legs and then cook it.
"I spend most of my time at home meditating. All I
want to do is to keep spreading the gospel. In my
own little way, I have been into evangelisation
visiting places like Ughelli and within the Orile
community, Ajegunle and so on. God has been kind
during these visits to preach the gospel to people
who are yet to receive Christ. We believe He will take
us globally very soon," Taribo said.
It will be recalled that Super Eagles attacker, Brown
Ideye came out and advised African players to stop
using juju to enhance their playing prowess.
"Your background experience counts. We turn to
God to give us direction. I'm happy how far He has
taken us.
"The gospel is for the poor, rich and noble. Part of
the gift God gave me is to reach out to the
downtrodden. It is good if you can reach out to the
downtrodden, preach the gospel to them and try to
meet some of their needs through humanitarian
services. I'm grateful to God for using me to spread
the gospel across to these people," he said.
On getting to Europe, Taribo would find himself
entangled in another life of charms and
superstitious beliefs.
A move from Auxerre to Milan saw him playing for
rivals AC and Inter — one of few players to achieve
the feat — in a three-year stint in Italy.
With a new-found life of affluence, the big defender
paid huge sums of money for him to be supplied
charms to win games, protect him from career-
threatening injuries and also to be foretold the
results of matches before they were played.
The 1998 UEFA Cup winner used to burn candles and
hold a magical stone from Israel before games but
he is bewildered that people are reluctant to publicly
identify themselves with the practice, saying players
and officials are deeply involved in the act.
Taribo said, "Of course yes (I was involved). I don't
know why people decline to talk about their
involvement with charms. Football has to do with a
lot of powers. When there are big events, you look at
the stadium, you see people, fans invoking all kinds
of things; magicians are there, voodooists are there.
"In my playing days, when I was ignorant, I used to
get some mallams and babalawos (traditional
doctors) to make charms for us, which we took to
(national) camp. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it
didn't.
"In some clubs, before every game, the president or
leader of the club will give you a lucky charm to play
with. They will tell you to put it in your boots or
socks and play. It's their superstitious belief; that it
can help them win matches.
"There are some coaches who are connected to
African magicians and soothsayers from Senegal,
Burkina Faso, Zaire or even Nigeria. These people
are consulted to give these coaches results of games
even before the matches are played.
"These people see strange things and they can tell
you with their magic and charms, what the outcome
of a match will be. People believe and use it. It
works for those who believe in it. I saw it, I
experienced it, I was with players that used it and I
used it. So, why are people denying it? There are
charms and rituals in football. It still exists."
When Patience Ikemefuna, an evangelist who lives in
America paid Taribo a visit in Milan, it marked a new
phase in the 1996 Olympic Games gold medallist's
life.
Ikemefuna was perplexed when she discovered that
Taribo was deeply involved in occultism. There were
charms in his wardrobe and other parts of his
apartment. Even though her host resisted initially,
she convinced him and after several praying
sessions, Taribo gave his life to Christ.
Today, even though they are not biologically related,
he refers to Ikemefuna as "my sister."
"God used her to change my life and ever since, my
life has never been the same. I'm grateful to her.
When I had an encounter with God and I became
born again, I discovered that these powers were
powerless. It was an avenue to collect money from
us. There are lots of voodoo practices in football. If
you are not with God, you have to be with the devil;
with the devil they come with everything," he added.
What is the difference between life in Christ and one
filled with charms?
"You can't compare," he said. "When I was living that
ignorant life, I was in darkness. In the darkness, the
devil can give you what God can also give you, but
he will give you without joy and peace. Eventually,
you will end up in sorrow. But when you experience
the joy of Christ, it adds no sorrow.
"The joy of the Lord is not only my strength; it gives
me everything I need in life. The love of Christ
comes with freedom, success, favour, expansion
and a better life. When you have all these, you have
everlasting peace. That is why I am comfortable
today and I'm happy how God has seen me thus far."
But being a pastor doesn't mean he is free from
temptations. In fact he realises that there are even
tougher battles to fight as a cleric.
"Temptation is permanent; it's there every hour,
every day but if you begin to study the Bible, there
are principles that God has laid down for us. If you
follow this, the devil will not keep you.
"From my house to the bus stop, I may see a young
girl not properly brought up, dressed half- Unclad
walking on the streets. You will see temptation right
there. But you have to pray for God's grace to
overcome the temptation."
After a career that has seen him play football in
Nigeria, France, Italy, England, Germany, Yugoslavia,
UAE and Iran, Taribo has seen it all and aptly names
his church a shelter.
He added, "We told ourselves to fast and ask God for
a name for the ministry. In the process, a sister
came up and said a voice told her that we should
call the ministry Shelter in The Storm Miracle
Ministries. That's how we got the name.
"During my journeys, God created a shelter for me
and transferred me into that fold. There are lots of
natural disasters everywhere in the world in these
last days. There are crisis in Asia; there is terrorism
and sectarian groups springing up. People are
migrating from all over the world to Europe because
of fear. In the midst of all these, God has created for
everyone a shelter, where everything in your life will
be restored again."
Even though he is no longer actively involved in the
game, which gave him the good life and saw him
resident in some of the world's biggest cities, the
Super Eagles — with whom he played two World
Cups and two Africa Cup of Nations — is still very
dear to Pastor Taribo West.
"We need to pray for the team and I have taken it as
an assignment to pray for the team. The national
team is part of my body, it's my family."
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